THE Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1898.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 258, 12 March 1898, Page 2

THE Waikato Argus GEORGE EDGECUMBE, Proprietor. SATURDAY, MARCH 12, 1898.

The Government and their supporters will, no doubt, make light of their crushing defeat at Wellington. They will probably urge that it is only the substitution of one Opposition member for another. Their case is very much like that of a prize fighter in the olden times, who in the course of receiving a most unmerciful drubbing, was invariably reported by the P. It. scribes, as " coming up smiling," although he knew in his heart that it was only a question of one or two more rounds, and his second would have to toss the sponge.

Previous to tho contest, the Premier stated without any qualification, that the election would be a struggle between the supporters and non-sup-porters of him and bis Government. That he really looked upon it in th ; s light is abundantly proved by the fact that he and two of his colleagues neglected their public duties for a time, which they are paid to perform, and constituted themselves electioneering touts. They wheedled where such was thought the most judicious tactics, threatened, where they had the power to punish, and promised where they thought it would be be lieved that they had not exhausted their patronage and ingenuity to create fresh billets. A spendthrift lives a merry life for a time, but in-

evitably reaches the end of bis tether, and is deserted by his quondam sycophants. This is very much the position in "which Ministers find themselves to-day. The glaring cases of maladministration which havo been brought to light from time to time and which were carefully, and very properly so, brought to the notice of electors, no doubt influenced many votes to be recorded for Mr Duthio, and caused many of their recorders a pang of regret that they had been instrumental on previous occasions in keeping men capable of such acts in office. As regards the civil servants, who are a very important factor in a Wellington election, not one of them dared to express an opinion favourable to Mr Duthie, so complete is the system of espionage. It is impossible to tell of course how they voted, but if the defeat of Mr Seddon's candidate i 3 in any considerable degree dim to their votes, his defeat is rendered still more crushing than tho numbers indicate. The civil servants are behind the scenes and know more of the doings of Ministers than it is possible for their brother electors to do. Tho Premier selected his own man to champion the cause of the Government ; it was not a case of Kirk v. Duthie, but tho fight was practically Seddon v. Duthie, the former backed by all tho power of the Ministry to punish and reward. It was practically Mr Seddon who lifted Mr Dutbie's gauntlet, and the fight was Government v. Opposition, with no side issues to divert votes into inconsequent channels. The result is indicative of what will happen all over the country when the time comes for the next general election. The official curtain has been partially drawn aside, and the glimpses which the people of the colony havo secured from time to time of the deeds which have taken place behind it, can only result in one way—the crushing defeat of the Seddonites at the next election. We will not besmirch the good old term Liberal by applying it to him and his supporters.